This past weekend, the IMA’s video team (Daniel Beyer and I) arrived in Venice to film the installment and opening of Gloria by Allora & Calzadilla at the U.S. Pavilion for the 54^th Biennale di Venezia. Venice is a glorious backdrop, it is as romantic and complicated and ancient as it looks in pictures. In fact, it is hard to take a photo or video shot that doesn’t look suitable for a postcard or commercial. Everything is just too perfectly picturesque. Because of this, Venice makes a great foil for telling stories about the global cutting edge contemporary art scene, all of which it seems, lands here every other year for the Biennale.

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Filed under: Art, Exhibitions, New Media, Travel, Venice Biennale

While sitting in an interview on a recent trip to New York, I had a moment of terror when artist Guillermo Calzadilla, of the duo Allora and Calzadilla, questioned one of my questions. “Do you have an example?” I did, in fact, have one eventually, but I can only hope my face didn’t immediately betray my feelings as I scrambled to come up with a response. I figured falling off the chair and playing dead was not a viable option.

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Filed under: Contemporary, New Media

When I moved home from college, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready to start my career, Indianapolis did not have much to offer me in the way of fashion design work. I interviewed at all of the three places in town and finally got a position as a Production Designer for a company working on sports licensed apparel. While I can’t complain because this job ultimately led me to museums and the IMA, I was forced to admit there was a dearth of style in my beloved Circle City. I thought this was something I was just going to have to deal with.

Fast forward four years, (five? I can’t keep track,) and a legitimate scene has developed in Indianapolis. Maybe it’s the hubbub surrounding the Big Game (you know the one), but things are abuzz.

First, there were a few blogs I started to see references to everywhere. I can’t decide if they were simply made more visible to me by social media, but all of a sudden, stylists, photographers, make up artists, dealers, and aficionados started coming out of the woodwork.

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Filed under: Around the Web, Local, Musings

The IMA always has many interesting events on the calendar. From films to performances, there is always something (or several things) coming up which I personally want to make time to see. Throughout the year, our Public Programs department is busy lining up events to help Indianapolis be culturally adventurous (the Toby’s tag line), and New Media is often ready to capture an event so more people can experience it later on our Website and on ArtBabble.

Here are three IMA events we have recently posted video of, all of which I saw in person. The funny thing is, in each case I noticed or appreciated something new while watching the video that I had missed during the event.

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Filed under: Art and Nature Park, Local, Public Programs, The Toby

There are a lot of projects in our Education Department that often go unnoticed by the general public. We quietly (OK, if you’ve been in our offices, it’s not really all that quiet) strive each day to make a significant difference in the lives of the people with whom we’re working, but once in a while I’m really inspired to speak out and share our work with everyone.

Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial is one of those times. The exhibition opens in February of 2011, and I know it will present multiple opportunities to engage members of our community in thoughtful, productive discussions about current events and relevant social issues. Through a grant we received from the NEA, we have been able to form a partnership with students and faculty at Lynhurst 7th and 8th Grade Center in Wayne Township.

Thornton Dial, Sr., "Don't Matter How Raggly the Flag, It Still Got to Tie Us Together"

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Filed under: Art, Education, Local